Sewing machine



April 30, 1935.

N. v. CHRISTENSEN SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17,1950

6 Sheets-Sheet 1 N. V. CHRISTENSEN SEWING MACHINE April 30, 1935.

Filed Dec 17, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 W MMHLH IM April 30, 1935. N. v. CJHRISTENSEN v SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1930 April 30, 1935.

N. V. CHRISTENSEN SEWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 1'7, 1930 April 1935- N, v. CHRISTENSEN 9 SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 1935- N. VZCHRISTENSEN 1,999,893

SEWING MACHINE Patented Apr. 30, 1935 SEWING MACHINE Norman V. Christensen, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 17, 1939, Serial No. 503,086

14 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewing machines, and more par- ,ticularly to a sewing machine which is adapted for sewing heavy wide sections of fabric in the.

.) forming of relatively large articles.

An object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine having a relatively long supporting bed carrying a work support at one end thereof and a standard provided with an overhanging arm at the other end thereof, which overhanging arm carries a needle head, and wherein the stitch forming devices in the needle head and also the cooperating stitch forming devices beneath the work support are operated by rotating shafts extending substantially the entirelength of the bed and the overhanging arm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character wherein the shafts are formed in sections connected by universal joints so as to insure proper alinement 'of the sections.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character which includes in addition to the ordinary feed, a puller feed, and wherein the actuated parts of the feeding mechanism are operated from the portion of the shaft beneath the work support.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed. I

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a front view of 'the machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a view showing in end elevation, the portions of the work support, the presser foot, the needles and the puller feed;

Fig.4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the forward end of the machine supporting and operating the stitching mechanism and the feeding mechanism;

.Fig. 4 is a similar view of the other end of the machine showing the driving connection for the shaft in' the overhanging arm;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts beneath the work support;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the end of the machine showing the mounting of the standard and overhanging arm on the bed;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view of the overhanging arm with the parts mounted thereon.

The invention is directed to a machine which is especially designed for stitching heavy fabrics, and particularly wide strips of fabrics in making large articles. The invention will possibly be best understood by a detail description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention. The machine includes a supporting bed I which extends from end to end of the machine. This support- 5 ing bed carries a work support 2 at the left-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 1. A standard 3 carrying an overhanging arm 4 is secured to members 5 formed integral with the bed I by means of bolts 6, 6. The overhanging arm 4 carries a needle head '1 at its outer end. Mounted in the needle head I is a needle bar 8 carrying, as shown, a plurality of needles 9. The needle bar'reciprocates in suitable bearings in the needle head and reciprocations are imparted thereto by means of a'shaft l0 mounted for rotation in a suitable hearing sleeve it carried by the overhanging arm. On the outer end. of this shaft I0 is a crank disk l2 carrying a ball crank l3 to which a link I4 is attached. The link I4 is connected at its lower end to a ball stud 15 carried by a collar "5 clamped to the needle bar. As this shaft I0 rotates, the needle bar will be reciprocated in its bearings.

The material is held on the work support by a presser foot I'I carried by a presser bar I8 5 mounted in suitable bearings in the needle head I. The presser bar is moved yieldingly into engagement with the material by a spring l9 which encircles the presser bar and bears at its lower end against a collar 20, attached to the presser bar. The spring at its upper end bears against a sleeve 2| having a threaded engagement with the needle head so that it may be adjusted endwise for varying the tension on the spring. The presser bar is provided with a collar 22 which is clamped thereto and which is provided with a laterally projecting arm having a sliding engagement with a guide bar 23.- The presser bar is raised by means of-a link 24 attached to this collar 22 at its lower end, and attached at its upper end to a pin 25 eccentrically mounted on a shaft 26 journaled in a lug 21 carried by the needle head. An arm 28 is attached to this shaft 26 and may be connected to any suitable means for lifting the presser foot.

The material is fed across the work support by a feed dog cooperating with the presser foot, and also by the puller feed which includes a lower puller roller and an upper presser roller. The upper'presser roller is indicated at 29 in the drawings. This roller is mounted for rotation in a work bracket 30 carried by a presserbar 3| which is mounted in projecting lugs carried by the needle head. Mounted on said bar 3| is a collar 32; A spring 33 encircling the bar bears 5 4|. needle thread loops by a link 42 attached to an arm 43 carried by a cross shaft, which cross shaft is oscillated by an eccentric strap 44 connected to an arm 45. The eccentric strap 44 cooperates with an eccentric on the main actuating shaft 46. The looper support 4| is oscillated to give a needle avoiding movement to the looper by an arm 41 cooperating with an eccentric on the shaft 46.

The material is fed across the work support by means of a feed dog 48 carried by a feed bar 49 pivoted to a feed rocker 50. Attached to the feed rocker 50 is an arm 5| which is connected by means of a link to a crank on the end of the shaft 46. The feed bar is raised and lowered by an eccentric strap cooperating 'ith an eccentric on the main shaft as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The feed bar extends downwardly from its attachment to the feed rocker so as to provide a space for the feed roller 53 (see Fig. 3). This feed roller 53 is carried by a shaft 54 which is mounted in lugs '55, 55 carried by the bed of the machine. This feed roller 53 is directly beneath the presser roller 29 and cooperates therewith. The shaft 54 carrying the feed roller 53 is connected to a shaft 56 mounted in suitable bearing lugs 51, 51 carried by a supporting base plate. This base plate is attached to the bed I of the machine by suitable bolts 59 which pass through the base plate and are threaded into the supporting bed. Between the shafts 54 and 56 is a shaft section 60 having a universal connection 6| with the shaft 54, and a universal connection 62 with the shaft 56. The shaft 56 is oscillated intermittently by a driving clutch member 63. The clutches which intermittently grip and turn the shaft and prevent retrograde movement of the shaft are all mounted in a sleeve housing 64 and may be of any desired construction. The operating clutch member is oscillated by means of an-arm 65 which is connected to a rock frame 66 mounted in suitable bearings on the base plate 58. The rock frame 66 is oscillated by an eccentric strap 61 which cooperates with an eccentric on the shaft 46.

Mounted on the shaft 46 is a bevel gear 68. Mounted in 2. lug 69 carried by the base plate 58 is a shaft l0 which carries a bevel gear adapted to be brought into mesh with the bevel gear 68. The shaft 10 can move endwise in its bearings, and a spring 12 normally holds the gears out of mesh. A hand wheel 13 is attached to the outer end of the shaft. By pressing inwardly on this against the collar at its lower end and against an holding these arms normally in a fixed position relative to the thread controller.

The main actuating shaft 46 includes a section 46 which is supported in bearing sleeves l8 and 19. This shaft section 46 is driven by a belt wheel 80. The main actuating shaft also includes a shaft section 46 which is preferably in the form of a hollow sleeve, for the sake of lightness. This section 46 is connected to the section 46 by a universal driving connection 8|. The section 46 is connected to the section 46 by a universal connection 82. The section 46 is the section of the shaft beneath the work support that carries the eccentrics and cranks for operating the stitching mechanism and the parts of the feeding mechanism which are arranged beneath the work support. The actuating shaft ii) for driving the needle bar includes a shaft section II! which is mounted "on bearing sleeves 83 and 84. It also includes a shaft section l9 which is preferably in the form of a hollow sleeve for the sake of lightness. The section H] is connected to the section Ill by a universal driving connection 84. The section III is connected to the section lo by a universal driving connection 85. The section I0 carries a crank which operates the needle bar. All of these sections Ill lo and F are substantially in alinement, and the axis of the shaft so constituted intersects the axis of the shaft 46 at a point beyond the belt wheel 80. The sections 46, 46 and 46 of the main actuating shaft are also substantially in alinement, and the axis is horizontally disposed, while the axis of the shaft I0 is inclined downwardly toward the driven end of the main nection with the upper shaft. These handholds are covered by suitable cover plates.

From the above it will be apparent that a sewing machine has been provided wherein the supporting bedmay be made very long and the overhanging arm correspondingly lengthened so as to provide ample clearance beneath the overhanging arm and the supporting standard therefor, for relatively wide sections of fabric. Notwithstanding that thesupporting bed is relatively long, the parts beneath the work support atone end thereof are all positively driven by the rotating shaft which extends the entire length of the bed. The loopers are oscillated by the eccentric connection to the shaft beneath the work support and adjacent the loopers, so that the length of the oscillating connections are relatively short. The means for oscillating the loopers to give a needle avoiding movement thereto is a short direct connection to the shaft beneath the work support. The feed bar is moved back and forth and raised and lowered by direct and short connections with the actuating parts therefor on the shaft beneath the work support and close to the feed line. The puller feed is operated by a unit mounted on a base plate carried by the bed, and this unit clutch is driven from the eccentric on the main shaft. This unit may be assembled and the actuated shaft thereof connected to the actuated shaft of the puller feed roll through universal connections which provide for free rotation of the shaft sections without accurate alinement. The needle bar is reciprocated by a short direct connection to the crank on the rotating shaft which is mounted in the needle head, and this shaft is a part of the under shaft extending the entire length of the overhanging arm and directly connected to the main actuating shaft near the driven end thereof. Both the main actuating shaft and this operated shaft in the overhanging arm are light and are so constructed that they will operate freely without any great accuracy in the'alining of the widely spaced bearings for the shaft. The actuated shaft in the overhanging arm is operated by a'direct connection to the main actuating shaft which eliminates cranks, links, and eccentrics which have been usually employed for driving the actuated shaft in the overhanging arm from the actuating shaft beneath the work support. The shafts, furthermore, are made very light, although they are relatively long, by the use of a strong sleeve section extending from a point adjacent the standard carrying the overhanging arm to a point adjacent the needle head and the work support. It will also be noted from Figure 1 of the drawings that the underside 4a of the work arm is inclined from the needle head toward the base of the standard 3 and lies substantially parallel with the shaft lob in said overhanging arm. The

on a lower level gives an increased space between the work support and the underface of the arm 4 in the region of the standard, and enables the underface of the arm to be inclined so as to provide a proper housing for the shaft lb and at the same time permits said shaft lob to be directly operated from the shaft-46a at the base of the standard.

It is obvious that other means may be provided for imparting the rotation of-the main actuating shaft to the actuated shaft in the overhanging arm. It is also obvious that changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The particular looper mechanism and the particular mechanism for operating the feed dog per se form no part of the present invention, which is directed particularlyto' g the construction of the bed, the overhanging arm and the actuating shafts for imparting movements to the stitching mechanism and the feeding mechanism.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard'having an overhanging arm fixed to said bed, a needle head at theouter end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by the bed beneath the needle head, a main actuating shaft parallel with said work support and extending substantially from one end to the other of said bed longitudinally thereof, a needle bar mounted in said needle head,'a needle carried thereby, an actuated shaft connected to said needle bar and inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main actuating shaft at the standard, an actuatingmember carried by. the main shaft, and an actuated member carried by the shaft in the overhanging arm and having direct connection to the actuating member.

2. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm fixed to said supporting bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by said bed beneath said needle head, a needle carried thereby, a complemcntal stitch forming mechanism beneathsaid work support, a feeding mechanism beneath the work support, a main shaft parallel with said work support and extending from substantially one end of said bed to the other longitudinally thereof, devices located beneath the work support and actuated by said shaft for operating the complemental stitch forming mechanism and feeding mechanism, a shaft carried by said overhanging arm and inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main actuating shaft at the standard, an actuating member carried by the actuating shaft and an actuated member carried by the shaft in the overhanging arm and directly connected to the actuating member.

3. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm fixed to said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhangingarm, a work support carried by the bed beneath the needle head, a main actuating shaft parallel with said work support and extending substantially from one end to the other of said bed longitudinally thereof, a needle bar mounted in said needle head, a needle carried thereby, an actuated shaft connected to said needle bar and inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main actuating shaft at the standard, an actuating member carried byv the main shaft, and an actuated member'carried by the shaft in the overhanging arm and having direct connection to the actuating member, said shaft in the overhanging arm being formed of end sections and an intermediate section, said intermediate section being hollow.

4. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm carried by said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by the bed beneath the needle head, a main actuatingshaft extending substantially from one end .to the other of said bed longitudinally thereof, a needle bar mounted in said needle head, a needle carried thereby, an actuated shaft connected to said needle bar and inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main actuating shaft at the standard, an actuating member carried by the main shaft, an actuated member carried by the shaft in the overhanging arm and having direct connection to the actuating member, said shaft. in the overhanging arm being formed of end sections and an intermediate section, bearings for the end sections, and a universal connection between each end section and the intermediate section.

5. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm fixed to said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by the bed beneath the needle head, a main actuating shaftparallel with said work support and extending substantially from one end to ,the'

other of said bed longitudinally thereof, a needle bar mounted in said needle head, a needle carried thereby, an actuated shaft connected to said needle bar and inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main .actuating shaft at the standard, an actuating member carried by the main shaft, an actuated member carried by the shaft in the overhanging arm and being directly connected to the actuating member, said shaft in the overhanging arm being formed of end sections and an intermediate section, bearings for the end sections, and a universal connection between each end section and the intermediate section, said intermediate section being hollow.

6. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm carried by said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by the bed beneath the needle head, a main actuating shaft extending substantially from one end to the other of said bed longitudinally thereof, a needle bar mounted in said needle head, a needle carried thereby, an actuated shaft connected to said needle bar and inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main actuating shaft at the standard, an actuating member carried by the main shaft, and an actuated member carried by the shaft in the overhanging arm and having direct connection to the actuating member, the main actuating shaft and the shaft in'the overhanging arm being each formed of end sections and an intermediate section, the intermediate section being hollow.

7. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm carried by said bed, a needle head at the outer end of-said overhanging arm, a work support 'carried by the becf'beneath the needle head, a

main actuating shaft extending substantially from one end to the other of said bed longitudinally thereof, a needle bar mounted in said needle head, a needle carried thereby, an actuated shaft connected to said needle bar and inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main actuating shaft at the standard, an actuating member carried by the main shaft, and an actuated member carried by the shaft in the overhanging arm and having direct connection to the actuating member, the main actuating shaft and the shaft in the overhanging arm be ing each formed of end sections and an intermediate section, the intermediate section being hollow, and the end sections being independently supported and connected by universal joints to the intermediate section.

- 8. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm detachably connected to one end of said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by the bed beneath said overhanging arm, a needle bar carried by the needle head, a needle mounted therein, a

main actuating shaft carried by the bed and extending substantially from one end to the other end thereof, a feeding mechanism including devices located beneath the work support and operated by said shaft, a complemental stitch forming mechanism located beneath said work support and operated by said shaft, said shaft 'being formed of end sections disposed substantially in axial alinement, one of which is located beneath the work Supportand the other beneath the standard, and an intermediate section having universal connection to said end sections, and means for reciprocating said needle bar through devices actuated by direct connection to the main shaft at the base of the standard, said devices extending lengthwise of the overhanging arm in a substantially straight line from the direct connection with the main shaft at the base of the standard to the point of attachment to the needle bar.

9. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm detachably connected to one end of said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by the bed beneath said overhanging arm, a needle bar carriedby the needle head, a needle mounted therein, a main actuating shaft carried by the bed and extending substantially from one end to the other end thereof, a feeding mechanism including devices located beneath the work support and operated by said shaft, a complemental stitch forming mechanism located beneath said work support and operated by said shaft, said shaft being formed of end sections, onez'of which is located beneath the work support and, the other beneath the standard, and an intermediate section having universal connection to said end sections, and means for reciprocati g said needle bar through devices extending lengthwise of the overhanging arm and actuated by the main shaft at the base of the standard, said intermediate section being hollow and unsupported except for the connections to the end sections.

10. A sewing machine comprising a supporting bed, a standard having an overhanging arm detachably connected to one end of said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a work support carried by the bed beneath said overhanging arm, a needle bar carried by the needle head, a needle mounted therein, a main actuating shaft carried by the bed and extending substantially from one end to the other end thereof, a feeding mechanism including devices located beneath the work support and operated by said shaft, a complemental stitch forming mechanism located beneath said. work support and operated by said shaft, said sliaft being formed of end sections, one of which is located beneath the work support and the other beneath the standard, an intermediate section having universal connection to said end sections, means for reciprocating said needle bar through devices extending lengthwise of the overhanging arm and actuated by the main shaft at the base of the standard, a shaft carried by the overhanging arm and inclining from the needle head downwardly to the base of the standard, a gear carried by said shaft, and a gear carried by the main shaft and meshing with the gear on the shaft in the overhanging arm, and devices actuated by the shaft in the overhanging arm for reciprocating the needle bar.

11. In a sewing machine, the combination of a bed, a work support carried thereby, feeding devices located beneath the work support, stitch forming mechanism including a needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a rotating shaft carried by the bed and extending parallel thereto and lengthwise thereof, means operated by said shaft for actuating said feeding devices, an overhanging arm carried by said bed, and means for actuating the needle bar including a shaft carried by the overhanging arm and extending lengthwise thereof, the axial line, of said shaft being disposed at an acute angle to the axial line of the rotating shaft carried by the bed, said lines intersecting beyond and adjacent the standard.

said shafts and 1 able shaft being parallel to the work support,

and adapted to operate said stitch forming mechanism and work feeding devices, the axes of said shafts being arranged at an acute angle,

means for driving one of said shafts, an actuating member carried by the driving shaft, an actuing bed, a'standard ated member carried by the other shaft, said members being arranged adjacent the apex of said angle and in direct driving relation one with the other. r

13. A sewing machine comprising a support- 8 having an overhanging arm fixed to said bed, a needle head at the outer end of said overhanging arm, a main actuating shaft parallel .withthe supporting bed and extending from one end thereof to the other, an actuating shaft in the overhanging arm inclining from the needle head downwardly to a point adjacent the main actuating shaft at the standard, operating connections between the ,main shaft and said actuating shaft, the underface of said arm being substantially parallel with said actuating shaft and inclining downwardly from the needle head to a point adjacent the base of the standard, a work support carried by said bed and having a section thereof adjacent the standard located below the plane of a section ,of the work support beneath the needle 'head for giving clearance beneath the arm for the passage of the material being stitched.

14. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch forming and work feeding instrumentalities, actuating devices therefor and supporting means for said instrumentalities and actuating devices including a bed, a work support, a stand ard, and an overhanging arm, and a needle head at the outer ,end of said overhanging arm, the under face of said overhanging am being inclined downward from the needle head to a point adjacent the base of the standard, said work support having a section thereof adjacent the standard located below'the plane of the section of the work support beneath the needle head for giving clearance beneath the arm for the passage of the material being stitched.

NORMAN V. CHRISTENSEN; 

